Major Scales and Key Signatures

Major Scales:
Start with "tonic", put one note on each line or space, then add accidentals to make the correct paern of whole and half
steps.

4
& 4 b b
W

b b
W

? #
W

Major Key Signatures:

Add ats starting with Bb and going up a fourth or down a h.
Add sharps starting with F# and going up a h or down a fourth.

#### #
##

bb
& b b bbb
B bbbbbb

#### #
##

#### #
##

? bbb
bbbb
B bbbbbb
b

######

In at keys, the second-to-last at is the key or tonic note (one at is F major).

In sharp keys, the key (tonic) is a minor second up from the last sharp.

bb
& bOb

Ab major

? ###

A major

BOb b

Bb major

G major

Minor Scales and Key Signatures

Natural Minor:
Start with the major scale and lower the 3rd, 6th, and 7th scale degrees by one half step.
(Naturals here, and in some of the other examples, are unnecessary but helpful.)

& Ob b
W

Ob Ob
H

? # n
O
W

# On On
W

Melodic minor:
Starting with Natural Minor, raise the 6th and 7th scale degree while ascending, then return them to natural minor while
descending.
Starting with the Major Scale, lower only the 3rd scale degree while ascending, then lower the 3rd, 6th, and 7th scale
degrees while descending.

n b b b
n

b
& b

Harmonic minor:

b On

? # n # # # n n # n #

Starting with Natural Minor, raise the 7th scale degree one half step.

& b b

# O#

Relative minor and major keys share the same key signature.

-Starting from major, the relative minor starts on the sixth scale degree (up a major sixth or down a minor third).
-Starting from minor, the relative major starts on the third scale degree (up a minor third or down a major sixth).

&

##

D major

B minor

Parallel major and minor keys share the same tonic.

Starting with the major key, add 3 ats or subtract 3 sharps (or the equivalent) to get the parallel minor key signature.
-ese are scale degrees 3, 6, and 7--the same ones lowered to get natural minor above.
Starting with the minor key, add 3 sharps or subtract 3 ats (or the equivalent) to get the parallel major key signature.

?#

G major

bb

G minor